NSC columnist Ânderson Silva talks about the operation against faction influence in Itapoá politics The "Catilina" operation, launched this Wednesday (29) and which investigates the infiltration of a criminal faction in the political environment of Itapoá (SC), showed that residents of the city had been coerced into expressing support for specific candidates of interest to the criminal group. The pressure occurred during the 2024 elections, according to the Gaeco task force. The investigation details what benefits and aid were distributed in communities under the organization's control at the time. Furthermore, opponents were also intimidated and threatened by criminals. The names of the targets were not revealed. ?Click and follow the g1 SC channel on WhatsApp The action carried out eight search and seizure warrants at addresses linked to three suspects. According to NSC columnist Ânderson Silva, a councilor's office was the target of the action. ? Itapoá is the city with the largest coastal strip in Santa Catarina, located in the north of the state. With 32 kilometers of coastline, it borders Paraná and has around 30 thousand residents. When contacted, the city of Itapoá stated that it found out about the action through the press and that the investigation is restricted to the Legislative Branch. g1 tries to contact the City Council. For the Public Ministry, responsible for Gaeco, "there is evidence of the activity of a criminal organization with the aim of influencing the local political process, through support for certain candidates and actions aimed at consolidating the faction's territorial dominance in the municipality". ?What is Gaeco? It is a State task force that, since 1994, has worked to identify, repress and combat organized crime. It is coordinated by the MP and made up of members of the Military, Civil and Criminal Police, State Revenue and Fire Department. Investigation operation against the infiltration of a criminal faction in the politics of Itapoá MPSC/Disclosure Operation is an unfolding of another action The investigation began based on information sent to the 1st Public Prosecutor's Office of Itapoá, after Operation Vicker's, in May 2024. At the time, Gaeco was facing criminal organizations operating in the North of Santa Catarina. Throughout the operation, investigators discovered that those involved maintain links with political agents, private enterprises and members of the criminal organization, in a structure aimed at strengthening the faction's interests. Now, the materials seized in the investigation will be sent to the Scientific Police for examination. The evidence collected will be analyzed to support the continuation of investigations and identify others involved. VIDEOS: most watched g1 SC in the last 7 days